Doncaster 2-3 Ipswich- Match Report

Ipswich brought a five-match winless run to an end as Doncaster bade farewell to the npower Championship with a sixth consecutive home defeat as they went down 3-2.

Town defender Tommy Smith opened the scoring with a free header and hit the crossbar shortly afterwards as Rovers turned out a catalogue of errors during the opening exchanges.

On-loan Hearts midfielder Ryan Stevenson doubled the advantage in the 29th minute when the referee's assistant correctly ruled his stinging 30-yarder to have crossed the line via the underside of the bar.

Doncaster forward Fabien Robert joined Stevenson is scoring a first goal for his club when he reduced the arrears before the interval.

A 79th-minute penalty from substitute Jason Scotland appeared to have Ipswich home and dry before Habib Beye's injury-time strike set up a grandstand finish.

Rovers finish the season bottom of the pile having lost 26 of their 46 games and a sizeable rebuilding boss awaits boss Dean Saunders in League One next year, while Ipswich will prepare for an 11th successive campaign in the second tier.

Beye returned from suspension to replace Adam Lockwood at the heart of the Doncaster defence, while Lee Martin and Ibrahima Sonko came into the Ipswich starting XI for Grant Leadbitter and hamstring injury victim Aaron Creswell.

In the second minute Rovers winger James Coppinger flashed a speculative effort inches wide, before Ipswich sprung up the other end and Martin brought a fine low save out of Gary Woods at the end of driving run.

Woods was relieved to see Stevenson's well-struck ninth-minute effort deflect narrowly past the post, but the visitors increasing pressure told shortly afterwards when Smith was left unmarked to head home Martin's left-wing corner.

Smith almost doubled his tally from Ipswich's sixth corner inside the opening quarter of the game, left unattended once more to test the upright.

James Hayter volleyed Doncaster's first clear opening over in the 19th minute, before Woods redeemed a wretched clearance by thwarting Martin.

There was little he could do when Stevenson collected the ball 30 yards out and thundered a venomous drive that cannoned down off the bar and over the line.

Doncaster managed to find a response and after Town goalkeeper Arran Lee-Barrett held another Hayter strike, Robert slide home Simon Gillett's 34th minute cross.

The same combination had the ball in the Ipswich net once again moments later, but Robert's firm header was ruled out for offside.

The host's passing remained haphazard and Woods did well to turn Andy Drury's shot around the post in first-half stoppage time after John Oster needlessly ceded possession in midfield.

Rovers were almost level within a minute of the restart when Beye was alive to Coppinger's quickly-taken free-kick but glanced his header wide.

Chances dried up as the pace of the game slowed and end of term feel enveloping had long since enveloped proceedings before Ipswich made the points safe.

Scotland, a 65th-minute replacement for the ineffective Daryl Murphy, drew a late challenge from Beye in the box and picked himself up to dispatch the kick low into the middle of goal.

Beye partially made up for his error by scrambling home James O'Connor speculative set piece in injury time.